Power operated rotary knife

Abstract

A rolling bearing strip for a power operated rotary knife providing bearing support for rotation of a rotary knife blade with respect to a blade housing. The rolling bearing strip includes: a plurality of rolling bearings disposed in spaced apart relation; and a flexible separator cage for positioning the plurality of spaced apart rolling bearings, the flexible separator cage including interlocking first and second ends, the first end of the separator cage including a wall defining a projecting member and the second end of the separator cage including a wall defining a receiving member, the first end projecting member and the second end receiving member being in opposed facing relationship and the first end projecting member extending into the second end receiving member to secure the first end to the second end and form an annular, continuous rolling bearing ring.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A rolling bearing strip for a power operated rotary knife providing bearing support for rotation of a rotary knife blade with respect to a blade housing, the rolling bearing strip comprising:
 a plurality of rolling bearings disposed in spaced apart relation; and 
 a flexible separator cage for positioning the plurality of rolling bearings, the flexible separator cage including interlocking first and second ends, the first and of the separator cage including a wall defining a projecting member and the second end of the separator cage including a wall defining a receiving member, the first end projecting member and the second end receiving member being in opposed facing relationship and the first end projecting member extending into the second end receiving member to secure the first end to the second end and form a continuous ring. 
 
     
     
       2. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 1  wherein the first end projecting member comprises a projecting tab extending transversely from the wall of the first end and the second end receiving member comprises a slot extending radially into the wall of the second end. 
     
     
       3. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 2  wherein respective facing, overlapping portions of the wall of the first end and the wall of the second end are substantially planar. 
     
     
       4. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 3  wherein the first end wall projecting tab extends substantially orthogonally from a planar portion of the first end wall and the second end wall slot extends substantially orthogonally into a planar portion of the second end wall. 
     
     
       5. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 2  wherein the first end wall projecting tab is substantially oval-shaped in axial cross section and extends along a center line of the rolling bearing strip and the second end wall slot is substantially oval-shaped in axial cross section and extends along the center line of the rolling bearing strip. 
     
     
       6. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 2  wherein an axial extent of the first end wall projecting tab is smaller than an axial extent of the second end wall slot. 
     
     
       7. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 2  wherein a radial extent of the first end wall projecting tab away from the first end wall is substantially equal to a radial extent of the second end wall slot. 
     
     
       8. The roiling bearing strip of  claim 1  wherein the first end includes a bead extending from the first end wall in a direction away from the first end wall projecting member, the bead extending circumferentially along a center line of the rolling bearing snip. 
     
     
       9. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 8  wherein the first end bead is substantially arcuate-shaped in radial cross section. 
     
     
       10. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 8  wherein a radial outer surface of the first end bead defines a diameter with respect to the center line of the rolling bearing strip that is less than an outer diameter of each of the rolling bearings of the plurality of roiling bearings with respect to the center line of the rolling bearing strip. 
     
     
       11. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 1  wherein the second end includes a bead extending from the second end wall to define a portion of the second end wall slot, the bead extending circumferentially along a center line of the rolling bearing strip. 
     
     
       12. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 11  wherein the second end bead is substantially arcuate-shaped in radial cross section. 
     
     
       13. The roiling bearing strip of  claim 11  wherein a radial outer surface of the second end bead defines a radius with respect to a center line of the rolling bearing strip that is less than a radius of each of the rolling bearings of the plurality of roiling bearings. 
     
     
       14. The roiling bearing strip of  claim 13  where the second end wall slot extends radially through the outer surface of the second end bead. 
     
     
       15. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 1  wherein the first end includes a ledge extending transversely from the first end wall in a direction of the first end wall projecting member. 
     
     
       16. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 15  wherein a radial outer surface of the first end ledge defines a radius with respect to a center line of the rolling bearing strip that is less than a radius of each of the roiling bearings of the plurality of rolling bearings. 
     
     
       17. The roiling bearing strip of  claim 16  wherein a radial outer surface defined by the second end ledge defines a radius with respect to a center line of the rolling bearing strip that is less than a radius of each of the rolling bearings of the plurality of rolling bearings. 
     
     
       18. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 1  wherein the second end includes a ledge extending transversely from the second end wall. 
     
     
       19. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 1  wherein each rolling bearing of the plurality of rolling bearings is a ball bearing. 
     
     
       20. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 1  wherein the separator cage comprises an elongated polymer strip supporting each of the plurality of rolling bearings, the elongated polymer strip defining a plane of rotation of a knife blade with respect to a blade housing, the plane of rotation being orthogonal to a central axis of a knife blade. 
     
     
       21. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 1  wherein the separator cage comprises an elongated polymer strip defining a plurality of spaced at bearing pockets for supporting the plurality of rolling bearings, each of the plurality of bearing pockets supporting a respective one of the plurality of rolling bearings. 
     
     
       22. The roiling bearing strip of  claim 21  wherein the elongated polymer strip is generally rectangular when viewed in cross section defining a first inner surface and a second outer surface of the strip and a third upper surface and a fourth lower surface of the strip, each of the plurality of bearing pockets each defining an opening extending between the first inner surface and the second outer surface. 
     
     
       23. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 22  wherein each of the plurality of bearing pockets includes a pair of spaced apart support arms extending into the opening to contact, rotationally support, and retain a respective ball bearing of the plurality of ball bearings. 
     
     
       24. A rolling bearing strip for a power operated rotary knife providing bearing support for rotation of a rotary knife blade with respect to a blade housing of the power operated rotary knife, the rolling bearing strip comprising:
 a plurality of rolling bearings disposed in spaced apart relation; and 
 a flexible separator cage for positioning the plurality of rolling bearings, the flexible separator cage including interlocking first and second end portions, the first end portion of the separator cage including a wall having a projection extending transversely from the wall and the second end portion of the separator cage including a wall defining a slot extending radially into the wall, the first end portion wall and second end portion wall being in opposed facing relationship and the first end portion wall projection extending into the second end portion wall slot to secure the first end portion to the second end portion and form a continuous ring. 
 
     
     
       25. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 24  wherein respective first sides of the first and second end portion walls are substantially planar. 
     
     
       26. The roiling bearing strip of  claim 25  wherein the projection of the first end portion wall extends substantially orthogonally from the planar side of the first end portion wall and the slot of the second end portion wall extends substantially orthogonally into the planar side of the second end portion wall. 
     
     
       27. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 24  wherein the projection of the first end portion wall is substantially oval-shaped in axial cross section and extends along a center line of the rolling bearing strip and the slot of the second end portion wall is substantially oval-shaped in axial cross section and extends along the center line of the rolling bearing strip. 
     
     
       28. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 24  wherein an axial extent of the projection of the first end portion wall is smaller than an axial extent of the slot of the second end portion wall. 
     
     
       29. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 24  wherein a radial extent of the projection of the first end portion wall with respect to the planar side of the first end portion wall is substantially equal to a radial extent of the slot of the second end portion wall with respect to the planar side of the second end portion wall. 
     
     
       30. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 24  wherein the first end portion includes a bead extending from the first end portion wall in a direction away from the projection of the first end portion wall, the bead extending axially along a center line of the roiling bearing strip. 
     
     
       31. The rolling, bearing strip of  claim 30  wherein the bead of the first end portion is substantially arcuate-shaped in radial cross section. 
     
     
       32. The roiling bearing strip of  claim 30  wherein a radial outer surface of the bead of the first end portion defines a radius with respect to the center line of the rolling bearing strip that is less than a radius of each of the rolling bearings of the plurality of rolling bearings. 
     
     
       33. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 24  wherein the second end portion includes a bead extending from the second end portion wall to define a portion of the slot of the second end portion wall, the bead extending along a center line of the rolling bearing strip. 
     
     
       34. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 33  wherein the bead of the second end portion is substantially arcuate-shaped in radial cross section. 
     
     
       35. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 33  wherein a radial outer surface of the bead of the second end portion defines a radius with respect to a center line of the rolling bearing strip that is less than a radius of each of the rolling bearings of the plurality of rolling bearings. 
     
     
       36. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 35  where the slot of the second end portion wall extends radially through the outer surface of the bead of the second end portion. 
     
     
       37. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 24  wherein the first end portion includes a ledge extending transversely from the first end portion wall in a direction of the projection of the first end portion wall. 
     
     
       38. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 37  wherein a radial outer surface of the ledge of the first end portion defines a radius with respect to a center line of the rolling bearing strip that is less than a radius of each of the rolling bearings of the plurality of rolling bearings. 
     
     
       39. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 24  wherein the second end portion includes a ledge extending transversely from the first side of the second end portion wall. 
     
     
       40. The rolling bearing strip of  claim 39  wherein a radial outer surface of the ledge of the second end portion defines a radius with respect to a center line of the rolling bearing strip that is less than a radius of each of the rolling bearings of the plurality or rolling bearings. 
     
     
       41. An annular blade housing for a power operated rotary knife, the blade housing comprising: an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall defining a blade housing bearing surface, the blade housing further including a blade housing plug opening extending between and through the inner wall and the outer wall, an end of the blade housing plug opening at the inner wall intersecting the blade housing bearing surface to provide access to the blade housing bearing surface through the blade housing plug opening, and a blade housing plug being pivotally coupled to the blade housing and sized to at least partially it within the blade housing plug opening. 
     
     
       42. The annular blade housing of  claim 41  wherein the blade housing plug is coupled to the blade housing by a hinge extending between the blade housing and the blade housing plug. 
     
     
       43. The annular blade housing of  claim 41  wherein the blade housing plug pivots between an open position and a closed position. 
     
     
       44. The annular blade housing of  claim 43  wherein, in the closed position, the blade housing plug continues a portion of the inner wall of the blade housing adjacent the end of the blade housing plug opening at the blade housing inner wall. 
     
     
       45. The annular blade housing of  claim 43  wherein, in the closed position, the blade housing plug continues a portion of the bearing surface of the blade housing adjacent the end of the blade housing plug opening at the blade housing inner wall.